Winter Fell
by pennie lane
Summary: Season 8, Episode 1 This is my interpretation of how the new season of Game of Thrones begins...


**EXT. EASTWATCH BY THE SEA. DUSK**

Rubble. Ice. Snow. Destruction. The Dead marches on. Slowly. Calculated. Onward they move toward Last Hearth.

The Night King flies forward on Viserion, expressionless, looking at where the free folk had fallen. He flies on.

Zooming into where the wall remains, mounds of ice and snow lie across fallen men.

Movement.

We see Tormund and Beric with more Free Folk. They get up and look over the broken cliffs. Tormund and Beric watch in fear as the wall they once stood on is now destroyed. Tormund, wild eyed. Scared.

TORMUND  
He has a fucking dragon.

BERIC  
There is nothing much we can do from here.  
Closest ally is Castle Black.  
We must get there and send a raven to Jon.

TORMUND  
(to the Free Folk) You heard the man!  
Gather all weapons and supplies, we leave  
now for Castle Black.

**EXT. WINTERFELL GROUNDS. EARLY EVENING**

Sansa is looking over the Northmen forging weapons from the Dragonglass Jon had sent from Dragonstone. The men look tired, worn out.

SANSA  
I know you are all exhausted from the work, but we  
know what awaits us from the north.  
Your King has fought them, they are ruthless.

NORTHMAN LORD #1  
King? Jon Snow gave up his title as soon as he met  
with that foreign ruler who claims to be queen.  
He has insulted us by giving up the honor  
we bestowed onto him!

SANSA  
YOUR KING has his reasons. The number one reason  
being is to save your life. Queen Daenerys  
will be fighting alongside us in the war against  
the dead, and fighting to overthrow our other enemy  
to the south Cersei Lannister, a woman who betrayed  
the Stark house and conspired to kill Robb Stark  
and my father. As far as I can see, Queen Daenerys is a  
great ally. Jon sees the same.

NORTHMAN #1  
You forget what her family did to yours. We all hear  
the stories about her and her beauty. He is  
probably thinking more with his cock rather than his head.

SANSA  
That was long ago, and unlike you I have faith  
in Jon. He is our leader, he has our best interest,  
he is our King until we all meet Queen Daenerys.  
Now, there is food in the Dining Hall, go eat and rest up.  
We have a big day tomorrow.

The Northmen finish up their work, and leave. Bran enters the grounds through the gates and approaches Sansa.

SANSA (CONT'D)  
Bran, how far away is Jon? The men are getting  
restless, and I don't know how long I can keep them happy.

BRAN  
Still at sea, we need to send a raven to him now.

SANSA  
What happened?

BRAN  
The wall, it has fallen.

SANSA  
(yelling) get me the Maester!

FADE TO:

**EXT. TARGARYEN SHIP. MORNING**

The ship sails North to White Harbor through the choppy waters, as rare sunlight shines through the cold midst.

**INT. TARGARYEN SHIP, DAENERYS CHAMBERS. MORNING**

Sunlight beams through the windows of the large chamber room. We hear the ocean waves crash against the ship. The camera pans to the bed where JON SNOW and DAENERYS TARGARYEN, lay embraced. Naked. Asleep.

The sound of a seagull awakens Jon, looking down to the woman in his arms. He marvels at her beauty before waking her with a gentle kiss on the lips.

DAENERYS  
Mmmm, it's too early.

JON  
We have a couple of hours before the others  
expect us. I'd rather just stay here.

DAENERYS  
You have spent the last few nights sneaking  
into in this room. Not that I'm complaining of course.

Jon and Daenerys kiss once more, this time with more passion. Jon rolling on top of her.

JON  
Aye, you shouldn't. We could be worse off.  
Instead of facing the monsters from  
the north...we are here. In this comfortable,  
warm bed. Doing this.

Jon kisses her deeply. She pulls away suddenly, sullen.

DAENERYS  
I don't want you to die.

JON  
What makes you say that?

Jon rolls off Daenerys and looks at her intently.

DAENERYS  
I've now seen the Night King with my own eyes.  
He took out my dragon will little to no effort.  
He is ruthless, calculated. I know you Jon Snow.  
I know you run into the lions den to save the helpless.  
You're a hero, heroes do stupid things. Such as,  
putting one in danger. Putting other lives before yours.  
Like...

Daenerys runs her hands across Jon's scars. The loss of his life now means so much more now they're together.

DAENERYS (CONT'D)  
...what happened to you when you put the Free Folks  
lives before your own. You took a knife to the heart.

JON  
Aye. That was unfortunate.

DAENERYS  
Unfortunate? Jon, It should never of happened.  
You were their Lord Commander. The men who  
did this to you. I want them to burn.

JON  
They are no longer alive.

DAENERYS  
Good. Anyone who hurts you does not deserve to live.

Jon smiles softly, which turns to sadness.

JON  
What about you? Sold, raped, defiled.  
That's one of the first things you said to me.

DAENERYS  
Those men no longer live.

Jon takes this information in, and strokes her face.

JON  
You speak of heroes, and you're the biggest  
one I have met. You have battled armies,  
conquered your enemies, survived so much  
horror throughout your life. You flew  
north of the wall without a second thought  
to save me.

DAENERYS  
Well, you are my biggest ally.

Jon and Daenerys quietly laugh.

JON  
Saying this seems redundant, but I  
will do everything in my power to make  
sure no more harm comes to you.  
I - I have come to care about you Dany...

Daenerys kiss Jon and rolls on top of him, straddling him. He sits up an embraces her and they slowly make love looking deeply into each others eyes.

JON (CONT'D)  
I am yours.

DAENERYS  
I am yours.

Jon and Daenerys kiss and continue to make love.

**INT. TARGARYEN SHIP, TYRION CHAMBERS. MORNING**

Tyrion sits in front of an open fire contemplating, drinking wine. Many things have happened in the last few months. Arriving on Dragonstone, the defeat of the Iron Fleets and Dorne, Queen Daenerys openly disregarding his advice, Cersei and Jaime having another child to openly claim for the Iron Throne, Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen once unknown to one another, now lovers.

We see a small scroll in Tyrions hand, with a broken Lannister seal. He spins it around his fingers. Whatever it says, it is not good.

CUT TO:

**INT. TARGARYEN SHIP, STRATEGY ROOM. DAY**

Jon, Davos, Varys, Tyrion, Jorah sit around a table waiting for Daenerys. A large map of the north lays out in front of them. Greyworm stands by the door. Tyrion eyes Jon, which Jon sees and looks away. Jorah sees this exchange.

DAVOS  
There is a chill in the air, the further North we go, the no easier it will get.

Davos' words hang in the air. The doors open with Daenerys and Missandei walking in. Daenerys takes her seat at the head of the table, Jon and Daenerys make an ever-so-brief eye contact. Jon looks away and down, semi amused.

DAENERYS  
We will arrive at White Harbor in the morning  
where we will meet the Dothraki.

JON  
I received word from Winterfell before we set sailed, t  
hat they have received the dragonglass  
and have started forging weapons for the war.  
We can arm our people as soon as we arrive.

DAENERYS  
Good.

JORAH  
Once we get to Winterfell, what is the plan?

Jon stands to get a better position over the map, the rest follows suit.

JON  
There are three main castles between Eastwatch  
and Winterfell. Last Hearth, Karhold and The  
Dreadfort. Since defeating the Boltons, Dreadfort  
has been empty so our front line are the  
northmen and women of Last Hearth and Karhold.

TYRION  
To my understanding, the lords of Last Hearth  
and Karhold fought against you in the Battle  
of the Bastards. Why would they fight beside you now?

JON  
Sir Ned Umber and Lady Alys Karstark  
has pledged their loyalty to House Stark and  
vowed to fight beside me as their King.

TYRION  
But you're not their King anymore.

JON  
They are loyal to me, no matter my title and  
I am loyal to Queen Daenerys. I showed their  
houses mercy, they will follow.

TYRION  
Like their fathers who were supposedly loyal  
to your father and brother?

DAVOS  
Umber and Karstark can be trusted.  
I was there, I witnessed their vow.  
They are good lords who want to serve the north.

DAENERYS  
So we march to Last Hearth?

JON  
I suggest we send the Unsullied Army there  
and position the Dothraki south of Last Hearth  
at The Last River. We can position the Karstark  
Army east, and the Lannister Army flank from the  
rest through the ranges.

TYRION  
We may need to change that plan.

DAENERYS  
What do you mean?

TYRION  
I mean, Cersei has changed her plans.

JORAH  
How do you know of this?

Tyrion holds up the message he had received earlier.

TYRION  
I received this from Jaime. Cersei lied,  
she is not sending her men. Jaime is heading  
to Riverrun to rally the remaining armies there  
to join our fight.

Daenerys is angry. She noisily stands up and walks to the window looking out. She can't bring herself to look at Tyrion.

DAENERYS  
Do you expect me to trust your brother after what your family has done?

TYRION  
Jaime is not like Cersei.

DAENERYS  
He is.

TYRION  
I know my brother...

DAENERYS  
I LOST MY DRAGON!

The room grows cold and dark.

DAENERYS (CONT'D)  
Viserion is now gone because we tried  
to get Cersei to believe in the army of  
the dead at your advice.

TYRION  
Jaime has turned his back on her,  
he is coming to fight alongside us...

DAENERYS  
We all know of their tryst. He loves her.  
He would do anything for her. When the time  
comes, he will kill me for her.

All fall silent, no one can bare to look at either of them. Jon is quiet, furious, but remains silent not wanting their secret to be let out by a sudden outburst.

JORAH  
Now we don't have the Lannister Army,  
who can we send west?

Jon looks over the map, thinking.

JON  
I can send word to Castle Black to see if  
there can be any men spared to send from  
the Nights Watch. And have Lord Glover send men  
from Deepwood Motte. We don't have much time,  
but whilst the wall stands we can get these armies in  
position.

Daenerys looks over at Jon.

DAENERYS  
That sounds like a plan. Thank you Lord Snow.  
If you all will all excuse me.

Daenarys storms out with Missandei close behind.

CUT TO:

**EXT. TARGARYEN SHIP, UPPER DECK. DAY**

Tyrion stands at the bow of the ship, staring out into the water, pensive. A figure appears behind him.

JON  
If it makes you feel any better, I thought it  
was a long shot that Cersei was going to fight  
with us.

TYRION  
That doesn't make me feel any better.

JON  
No, I suppose it wouldn't.

TYRION  
I am a fool. I should have foreseen this.  
Our Queen is right. I am blind when it comes  
to my family.

JON  
Aye, family does bring out our weaknesses.

TYRION  
It's true. The more you find yourself caring  
for someone, the stupider you become.

Jon flinches at his words, but keeps a straight face.

TYRION (CONT'D)  
You may have every best intention to keep  
the person you care for most alive, but  
when that is all consuming, hesitation  
starts seeping in. That hesitation could mean death.

JON  
You know.

TYRION  
I am her hand.

JON  
And you don't approve.

TYRION  
It's not that I don't approve, on the contrary.  
If this was a different time, and a different  
war I would have suggested it. A strong  
alliance between two strong leaders.

JON  
But...

TYRION  
But...we are fighting a war with a figure  
who does not care about alliances, kings  
or queens. You are a good man Snow,  
maybe one of the last remaining good  
men out there.

JON  
I am struggling to see the problem,  
Lord Tyrion.

TYRION  
You are too much alike. Stubborn, headstrong,  
the same proclivity for self-sacrifice.  
If she sees you in danger, she will  
risk her life for you. We have already  
seen it.

JON  
I won't let her do that.

TYRION  
Who are any of us to try to tell her  
what to do when she has made up her mind?

Jon looks out onto the ocean, taking this all in.

TYRION (CONT'D)  
Snow, I don't blame you. She is quite a woman.  
We need her alive, she is Westeros' only hope.

JON  
And she is mine.

Tyrion looks at Jon, looking for any sign of deceit. He is genuine. From a distance, we can see a raven struggling in the winds flying toward the ship. Tyrion and Jon track the raven as it eventually lands near Tyrion, who removes the message.

TYRION  
It's for you.

The Stark sealed message is passed to Jon and he rips it open.

JON  
Fuck.

Jon turns to nearby Unsullied guards.

JON (CONT'D)  
(yelling) Bring the Queen and the other Lords here now!

The Unsullied guards run below deck to retrieve Daenerys. Jon starts pacing, which is making Tyrion uneasy.

TYRION  
What is it?

JON  
It's not good.

Daenerys enters the deck with Missandei, Varys, Davos, Jorah and Greyworm and hurries over to Jon. Jon lifts up the note he received.

JON (CONT'D)  
I just received word from Bran. The wall  
at Eastwatch by the Sea has fallen, the castle  
is destroyed. The Night King marches with his army  
and...

Jon is trying to find the words to break it gently. Daenerys face falls, preparing for the worst.

DAENERYS  
What?

JON  
He has a dragon.


End file.
